Last June, we received a report from HP detailing the company’s sustainability initiatives. That was followed by a webinar in August on HP’s partnership with World Wildlife Fund to promote forest protection, restoration, and management. Both organizations were not shy about declaring these initiatives as examples of how they are doing their part to offset the effects of climate change.
The HP report and webinar, as well as our Japanese Correspondent Tetsuo Kubo’s November column on the “Greta Thunberg Effect” inspired us to dig deeper into ways manufacturers and the dealer channel are addressing sustainability and protecting the environment.
Focusing on sustainability isn’t a new phenomenon in this industry. I vividly remember the OEMs, particularly, Canon and Ricoh, raising awareness about their “green” and environmental efforts in the early 1990s. If I remember correctly, Canon framed its efforts as doing its part to be a “good corporate citizen.” As things heat up on the sustainability and environmental front, I dare you to find an OEM today who isn’t addressing this movement in some way.
This issue examines the sustainability initiatives of the leading office technology OEMs and other vendors from a global and a local perspective. Our coverage also focuses on marketing sustainability, as well as how sustainability is impacting the MPS and managed services segments of our business.
During our research, we were impressed by how deeply committed companies serving this industry are to protecting the environment and how this has become a large part of their R&D efforts. From a business perspective, focusing on sustainability can be a profitable endeavor. While sustainable products and devices with minimal carbon emissions are not important to everyone, there are plenty of organizations, including many Fortune 1000 companies, where this criterion is important.
To fall back on what’s become a well-worn cliché, thanks, in part, to Kermit the Frog, it’s not easy being green, but a channel that takes sustainability and environmental preservation efforts seriously is well-positioned to capture new business and lock-in existing clients.
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